The fallout of the economic crisis that began in 2007 is still being felt by many companies in the UK and elsewhere around the world.
There are predictions that things could get worse over coming months thanks to measures being adopted by the coalition government to reduce the size of the fiscal deficit quickly.
During times like this, it can be tempting to cut back on spending in a bid to remain afloat.
If your company is in this position, you may have reduced expenditure on many things, such as office equipment and certain training programmes.
However, there are areas that you should never neglect, and this includes the safety of employees working at height.
Having effective fall protection measures in place is not only a legal requirement, but is also a moral obligation.
If you fail to have proper guardrail systems and other such things, you are risking the wellbeing of those you employ.
They may end up with a serious and even permanent injury if they fall and in the worst cases, they may even die.
Incidents like this are all too common and so it is vital you are not complacent.
By maintaining the necessary level of investment in safety procedures and equipment, you can minimise the chances that harm will come to your workforce.
So, next time you sit down to readdress your budget, make sure you do not end up skimping on safety.
Both you and your staff members will suffer the consequences if you do.